Asked To Make Holster Without "maker Mark"

[Rayban]

...then there's customers that send their piece back because the maker forgot to stamp it with his mark.......ask me how I know.....

[Sixer]

My makers mark goes on everything from holsters to dog collars. If the customer doesn't like it, then I have the option to decline their request for a holster.

Then again, money talks... so as mentioned before, if they're willing to pay extra I might consider it.

[leathercrafter]

i agree that what ever you make needs to have your maker stamp on it, most of mine are placed on the back, but if i built a piece for any of my customers and didnt put a makers stamp thgey would return it just for that reason. i never use the same pattern twice everbody get a new pattern drawn up just for them, all my customers now are willing to by the orignal drawing of there patterns and have them framed and all of the even want the drawing signed and dated. this is just my personal opion but we all work to hard at doing what we do not to get credit for it. john ivy

[wolfe9]

Another thing to keep tucked in the back of your mind is that some agencies / departments don't allow people to where equipment with makers marks visible . My 1.5 cents would be to have the logo on the back ....

[gregintenn]

I'm in the camp that thinks your rather large and bold maker's mark takes away from your otherwise attractive, high quality work.You didn't state whether putting it on the back would be suitable to the customers, but I'd go that route if I were you.

[Shooter McGavin]

Some very good points here, I appreciate the replies. Maybe I'll stick to doing the front logo only on my personal stuff.

[katsass]

...then there's customers that send their piece back because the maker forgot to stamp it with his mark.......ask me how I know.....

Rayban, earlier it also happened to me. I don't know if it's my work or just the mark ...but my customers seem to want it. Mike

[WyomingSlick]

Ummmmm...........what is that popular business saying???? Oh yes!

"The customer is always right !" Well, maybe so, maybe not. One thing is for

sure; it is a free country. Freedom of choice for you, freedom of choice for your customers.

The simple fact is that there are people, and number me among them, who don't feel like

being a walking billboard. I have no objection to the small Levi label that comes on my

jeans and is mostly covered by my belt. Or the name on the sweatband in my hat. Yes, I

wear caps with advertising on them, but I certainly didn't pay for them. If you want to give

me one of your holsters, then by all means; make your name prominent on the front. But if

you want me to pay for it; the mark should be discreet, or out of sight.

I have seen work on here where I felt the maker's mark was an obvious blemish on an

otherwise good piece of work. If the quality of the work doesn't speak for itself, then who

cares who made it? Maybe the gucci crowd lol!! You ever see Al Stohlman's maker

stamp: a very nice horsehead in a horseshoe with his initials (brand)? Yet did you see him

ever use it on something as small as a wallet or holster? No, his initials were sufficient.

[Art]

Hi Shooter,

I have a problem with the big ol' makers marks. They make the product look like it just rolled off the assembly line. Custom is custom and the mark on custom work should be demure, in the case of some old masters, damned hard to find if it exists at all.

Personally, I have several makers marks. One is a traditional "old West" makers mark oval, the one with MAKER in the center with name on top and city on bottom; this is the biggest mark I have. One is a hand tool (about the size of a #3 beveler) with my initials slightly stylized; I will hide this in a field of basketweave or anything really. Another is a 5 point star with my initials in it, very small that I put somewhere inconspicuous on LEO work. The last is my chop (initial stamp kind of) for personal stuff and for friends.

So I guess what I am saying is that if you are getting asked to leave your mark off, it is probably too big or too ugly.

Art

So I'll admit it, my "maker mark" is quite a bit uh, bolder, than some others that post here and around the interwebz. I've been asked twice in as many days to leave my mark of the front.

What does the leatherworker.net mindhive think about this? Anyone else even been asked?

I'm not sure what I think, or how I feel, about these requests.

Thanks

Oh, an example would help no doubt. Here ya go.

[budd4766]

Some very good points here, I appreciate the replies. Maybe I'll stick to doing the front logo only on my personal stuff.

Oh heck yeah! I WANT to show 'em my personal stuff and make SURE they know I made it. That's just good "free" advertising. But, when I make a piece to sell, I keep my marks more subdued...but still on it somewhere.